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The Three-Pointer: It Wasn't So Easy For Celtics This Time Around

Their 31-point victory over the 76ers earlier in the season clued the Celtics into what was in store on Wednesday night. They weren't expecting another blowout. Rather, they knew this young team would come out swinging and try to prove a point on the Celtics homecourt.

The 76ers did just that.

They made the Celtics fight until the very last second until they finally secured a 113-110 victory over the determined visiting team, Wednesday night.

Here are three things we learned from this close win:

PROTECTING HOMECOURT IS A PRIORITY

The Celtics improved to 6-3 at home with their win over the 76ers. However this three-point victory was different than the others at the TD Garden this season – it was the first time the Celtics won by less than 10 points on their homecourt.

“It's very important, very important [to protect homecourt],” said Marquis Daniels. “We've got a West Coast trip coming up. That's going to be big for us. We've got to make sure that when teams come in they don't feel like they can win, so we've just got to take care of homecourt.”

Prior to Wednesday's game the Celtics average margin of victory in home wins was 22.2 points, including a 40-point blowout over the Bobcats, a 28-point defeat of the Bulls, and a 19-point 'W' over the Jazz.

The Celtics may have had homecourt advantage against the 76ers, but the 76ers used their own strengths to gain an advantage against the Cs. Their early aggression on the boards set the tone for a close game in the first half. The 76ers finished the game outscoring the Celtics 21-14 on second chance points and 23-19 on fastbreaks.

“They fought hard and they were doing a lot,” said Ray Allen. “They were moving the ball, they were taking advantage when they had the advantage, they were pushing the ball on the floor, trying to beat us before we set our defense up. So whatever their game plan was I think they executed to the best of their abilities.”

The victory may not have been pretty but it forced the Celtics to buckle down and find a way to win. After losing their previous two out of three contests at home, this game was a good lesson learned.

“It's just one of those nights,” said Daniels. “They were hitting some tough shots. It's a good win for us though, that we had to scrap it out like you said at home. We've got to start protecting home a lot better. We've lost three of the last five at home, something like that. It's just something, regardless of how we got the win, everything isn't going to be great, but we've got to protect homecourt a lot better than what we have been doing.”

HOLIDAY OFF?

The Celtics were given the day off on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving with their friends and family. It is not always easy, though, for them to turn their minds off from basketball a month into the season. Whether it is a seasoned vet or an eager rookie, it is often difficult for a player to take a 24-hour break from the game. See how a handful of Celtics at different points in their careers will balance work and play on Thanksgiving:

The veteran - Ray Allen: “It's a day off for sure, but mentally you're in tact because at some point I'll try to do some kind of running or get in up-and-downs. So your family will be in town and for the most part you've got to put it all aside and you've got to definitely enjoy them for a day.”

The young starter - Kendrick Perkins: “I'll go to the gym, go in and get my work in tomorrow, probably like two hours. [I'm going to] because we've got a game Friday (against the Raptors) and you don't want any slippage, so you try to stay as polished as possible. You just want to make sure you get your work in because that's what got you here, so I just want to make sure I don't have any slippage.”

The role player – Marquis Daniels: “Some guys will take advantage of it, go in, get some extra shots, get some extra workouts in. Most times it's the day to gave thanks. I try not to eat too much, get too fat. You're still going to have to work out because we've got to come back in and we have a big game on Friday.”

The rookie – Lester Hudson: “I was thinking about going to the gym, getting some conditioning in, getting some shots up. I might go hang out and have Thanksgiving at my teammate's house and hang out with them, have dinner. [There aren't really days off] but sometimes they tell you don't come to the gym, don't come to the gym. But still I might sneak in and go to the gym.”

CELTICS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN WALLACE

Rasheed Wallace entered Wednesday's game in an offensive slump. He had shot 3-for-24 from three-point range in his previous five games during a stretch in which the Celtics were playing inconsistent basketball. But regardless of how many shots Wallace has taken – and missed – the Cs are not questioning their teammate.

“Oh, [I have] a lot of confidence,” Daniels said. “What's being made about him?”

What's being made about him is that he shot a combined 0-for-11 from three-point range against the Magic and Knicks last weekend. He shot 2-for-6 against the 76ers on Thursday, leaving him shooting under 17% in his last six games.

Nonetheless, the Celtics don't want him to hold back. The long-range game is part of their plan.

“You can't turn them down,” Allen said of three-point shots. “The way we play we move around, somebody helps, and then you wind up getting a wide-open look. And guys, everybody's in the gym all day shooting threes on off days so we have to continue to do it and one day that rim, that lid will come off the rim for us.”

While Wallace struggles on the offensive end, he has been a consistent contributor on defense. He grabbed 13 boards during his 0-8 three-point shooting performance against the Magic and blocked three shots when he shot 1-for-5 from behind the arc against the Knicks.

“I'd take him taking a million shots,” Daniels said. “I mean, I'm confident with him doing that. He's been playing the game long enough ... Even his shots that don't go in are good looks. He's in a little slump right now but that's going to happen. Defensively he makes up for it. He does a lot of good things for us.”

Daniels shrugs off Wallace's slump and believes no player in the NBA is immune to a skid.

Flannery joins Mut to break down the Isaiah Thomas trade to Boston and what it means for the Celtics this season and in the future. Paul also chats with Mut about the other deals that happened at the NBA's trading deadline

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